Baseball game



J. MODlCA, JR

BASEBALL GAME Nov. 1 1, 1958 2 Shets-Sheet 1 Filed April 26, 1956 WlLDPlTCH INVENTOR JOSEPH MODICA,JR

ATTORNEY J. MODICA, JR

BASEBALL GAME Nov. 11, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 26, 1956 INVENTOR. JOSEPH MODICA,JR

BY 5% WW ATTORNEY United States Patent BASEBALL GAME Joseph Modica, Jr., Garden City South, N. Y., assignor to Tudor Metal Products Corporation, Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April 26, 1956, Serial No. 580,751

4 Claims. (Cl. 273-89) This invention relates to a baseball game.

The invention comprehends a game having a playing area which is outlined to simulate the playing field of the American game of baseball. The game is played with a magnetized playing piece representing a baseball Which is projected from the pitchers box against a back stop located at the rear of the batters box so as to constitute a strike, a ball or a wild pitch in relation to the accuracy of the projection.

An object of the invention is to provide a back stop to which the magnetized playing piece clings when projected thereagainst and which is outlined to define a strike zone, a ball zone and a wild pitch zone.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a back stop which is outlined on the rear face corresponding to the zones on the forward face thereof whereby the back stop may be hit by a bat at any one of said zones for knocking the magnetized playing piece back onto the playing area, which may result in an in-field out or an out-field out or a hit depending upon the location on the playing area to which the magnetized playing piece is batted.

Still another object of the invention is to provide means on the back stop for suspending an image representing a player in proper location for a right or left handed batter.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, reference is now made to the following specification and acompanying drawings in which the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a game device for playing baseball constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of reduced size taken approximately on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the game device showing the manner of projecting the playing piece.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken approximately on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the hand device for projecting the magnetized playing piece.

Fig. 6 is a side view thereof.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken approximately on line 77 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the bat for striking the back stop to effect projection of the playing piece.

Fig. 9 is a side view thereof.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken approximately on line 10-10 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the game includes a panel 10 surrounded by a marginal frame 11 and which panel is provided on the upper face thereof with a playing area simulating the American game of baseball. The playing area includes an in-field 12 and an out-field 13 with areas representing the positions occupied by the players in the in-field and with areas representing the 2,859,969 Patented Nov. 11, 1958 magneticaly attractable metal panel which is correspondingly outlined on the front and rear faces thereof with a rectangular strike zone 17 of a width substantially that of the width of the home plate and of a height substantially that between the knees and the shoulders'of a batter. Surrounding the strike zone 17 is a ball zone 18 arranged with the strike zone substantially at the center thereof and surrounding the ball zone is a wild pitch zone 19 which extends from the ball zone to the opposite sides and top of the panel and downwardly to the frame 11. The said zones respectively represent a strike, a ball and a wild pitch in accordance with the accuracy of the projection of a playing piece during the play of the game.

The playing piece indicated by the reference character 20 consists of a magnetized metal member having a plurality of flat faces which in the play of the game is projected from the pitchers mound 21 towards the back stop 15 in the usual manner with the purpose in view of same and which in accordance with the accuracy of the throw consitutes a strike, a ball or a wild pitch. Since the rear face of the back stop 15 is correspondingly outlined with the aforesaid zones, the back stop may be hit by a bat at the rear of the location where the playing piece adheres so as to knock the playing piece from the back stop and onto the playing area. The playing piece thus batted onto the playing field may constitute an infield out, a ball caught in the out-field or a hit in accordance with the place to which the ball is batted.

The back stop 15 is also provided with hooks 22 projecting inwardly therefrom and arranged one on each side adjacent the side edge thereof and in alignment with the batting zones of right and left handed batters respectively. A figure 23 representing either a right or a left handed batter is provided with means for engagement with said hooks 22 for suspending the Figure 23 on the back stop. The Figure 23 is of metallic material whereby the playing piece will adhere thereto and when striking the same will constitute a hit batter entitling the player to a base.

The playing piece 20 is projected by means of a projecting device shown in Figs. 5 to 7 inclusive of the drawings. The projecting device indicated generally by the reference character 25 includes a flat handle member 26 having an upwardly directed forward end 27 disposed in angular relation with the plane of the handle. Mounted on the upper face of the handle 26 adjacent the forward end 27 is a spring actuated projector 28. The projector 28 is pivoted by a pivot pin 29 on a stub post 30 mounted on the handle 26. A spring 31 is interposed between the under side of the projector 28 and the handle 26 and a recess 32 is formed in the upper face of the projector 28 providing a pocket for receiving the playing piece 20.

The projector 28 extends laterally beyond the handle 26" as at 23 in order to be conveniently grasped for manually swinging the projector 28 towards the handle member 26 and then suddenly releasing the projector whereby the spring 31 functions to project the playing piece 20 from the pocket 32. In use the projecting device may be disposed fiatly on the playing area with the projector 28 I of the plane of the handle 36 andpermits oftheiswiuging,

of the paddle so as to flex the spring 3&and when the paddle is suddenly released, it will;beswungforwardby the tension of the spring 38. For this purposethepaddlef 37 is provided with an upwardly, directed lipj 39ad'apted2 to begrasped for swinging the paddle, to tension. the.

spring 38. The bat 351s held by the player with the paddle 37 at the rear of the place where the playing piece adheres to the front face thereofafter being projected thereagainst by the projector and the bat manipuated to hit the back stop by as much of the forward face of .the lip 39 as possible andthereby bat the playing piece 20 from the back stop onto the playing field.

The action in the pl ay of the game following the batting of the playing piece is determined by the areain whieh the playingpiece comes to rest in the playing field. Aifixed to the frame 11 at therend thereof opposite the back stop 15 is a panel 42 provided with a transversely extending line 43 representing the top of the rear wall of the playing field. The panel 42 is of metal so that the playing piece will adhere thereto at the point of contact and if the playing piece hits the panel 42 above the line 43, the playeris entitled to a home run. If the playing pieceadheres to the panel below the line 43, the player is entitled to a triple. If the playing piece is projected into any of the out areas in the out-field, the same constitutes a caught fly and the player is out. When the playing piece comes to rest in the out-field outsideofjthe out areas, the player has a hit and the projectingdevice 25 is then located at the place where the playing piece comes to rest and the playing piece is inserted in the projecting device and projected towards thebase the, batter is attempting to reach.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention is shown and described herein, it is to be understood that the same is not so limited but shall cover and include any and, all modifications which fall within the purview thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. In. a. game devicefor playing a game simulating baseball, abase having a panel marked to provide a baseball in-field and out-field, a magnetically attractable metal panel afiixed in upright relation to the base forming a, back stop, said upright panel being correspondingly marked on the outer and inner faces thereof to provide a strike zone, a ball zone surrounding the strike Zone and a wild pitch zone surrounding the ball zone, a metal figure representing a batter, means carried by said upright panel supporting said metal figure thereon at one side of said strike zone, a playing piece of magnetized metal having a plurality of surfaces whereby said playing piece will adhere to said upright panel and to said figure when striking the same to thereby constitute a strike, a ball or a wild pitch when said playing piece adheres to said areas respectively and to constitute a hit batter when adhering to said figure, and said playing piece being adapted to be projected from said upright panel by a blow against the upright panel adjacent the place where the playing piece adheres to the inner faces thereof.

2. In a game device for playing a game simulating baseball, a base having a panel marked to provide a baseball in-field and out-field, a magnetically attractable metal panel afiixed in upright relation to the base forming a back stop, said upright panel being marked on one face thereof to provide a strike zone, a ball zone surrounding the strike zone and a wild pitch zone surrounding the ball zone, a metal figure representing a batter, means carried by said upright panelsupporting said metal figure thereon at one side of said strike zone, a playing piece of magnetized metal having a plurality of surfaces whereby said playing piece will adhere, to said upright panel and to said figure when striking the same to thereby constitute a strike, a ball or a wild pitch when said playing piece adheres to said areas respectively and to constitute a hit batter when adhering to said figure, and said playing piece being adapted to be projected from said upright panel by a blow against the upright panel adjacent the place where the playing piece adheres to the inner faces thereof.

3. In a game device for playing a game simulating base-' ball, a base having a playing field-marked to provide a baseball in-field and an out-field, a magnetically attractable metalpanel aflixed in upright relation to the base at the rear of the in-field and forming a back stop, said upright panel being marked on the outer and inner faces thereof to provide a strike zone, a ballzone surrounding the strike zone, a wild pitch zone surrounding the ball zone, saidmarkings occupying correspondingly overlying positions on said outer and inner faces, a playing piece of magnetized metal having a plurality of surfaces whereby said playing piece will adhere to said upright panel when striking the same to thereby constitute a strike, a ball or a wild pitch when said playing piece adheres to said areas respectively, and said playing piece being adapted to be projected from said upright panel ontothe playing field by a blow against the outer face of said upright panel adjacent the location where the playing piece adheres to the inner face thereof.

4. In a game device for playing a game simulating baseball, a base having a panel marked to provide a baseball in-field.and out-field, a magnetically attractable metal panel aflixed in upright relation to the base forming a back stop, said upright panel being marked on one face thereof'to provide a strike zone and a ball zone located outwardly of said strike zone, a metal figure representing a batter, means carried by said upright panel supporting said metal figure thereon at one side of said strike zone, a playing piece of magnetized metal having a plurality of surfaces whereby said playing piece will adhere to said upright panel and to said figure when striking the same to thereby constitute a strike or a ball zone when said playing piece adheres to said areas respectively and to constitute a hit batter when adhering to said figure, and said playing piece being adapted to be projected from said upright panel by a blow against the upright panel adjacent the place Where the playing piece adheresto the inner faces thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS.

639,719 Farnum Dec. 26, 1899 1,047,657 Krancher Dec. 17, 1912 1,341,628 Bourne June 1, 1920 1,398,837 Carter Nov. 29, 1921 1,551,216 Potter Aug. 25, 1925 2,562,089 Fishlove July 24, 1951 

